Discerning Truth Part 2
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Not sure if he was kissing or whispering, but we got caught either way.
A dishonest man spreads strife, and a whisperer separates close friends. Proverbs 16:28
Oooh, whispers get me riled and often they aren't even filled with evil intent, but hurt occurs simply through the action of whispering. It creates a feeling of being left out. My husband has a great tale from his elementary PE teaching days where he caught a girl, who could be pretty cruel, whispering in class to a boy she usually treated badly. My husband felt certain her comment was against him, so in front of the class he inquired of the young man, "Why don't you tell the rest of the class what Sally whispered to you?" (Not her real name.) The boy thought quickly and wisely, "She said you are the best teacher she has ever had!" LOL Hopefully he was able to hold that over Sally the rest of the year.
Last Sunday, I caught myself committing a similar affront during church with my husband. We were sitting in the back of church and I was trying to remember the names of several people and leaned over and whispered an inquiry to him. Then I thought how awful that looked. Anyone who saw me may have deduced that I was gossiping about them. I've already sought forgiveness.
There's another area where truth must be discerned and that is in how we see and portray ourselves. Oh the lies that are being lived.
Just last night I was in the grocery store and ran into a younger woman whom I haven't seen in years. We began with the usual, "How are you?" (we train our greeters in church to never ask this question, better to say "glad you are here, Jesus loves you") and the quick falsified response of "Fine!" Enthusiastically, my next line of conversation was to say how happy I was to cross paths with her daughter last month. This led to "Well, please don't give her any money if she asks, she is battling a terrible drug addiction." Then this woman burst into tears and fell into my embrace. I told her that we think we know what's going on in other people's lives, but we really don't.
Let's take time to watch this powerful music video by Matthew West and ask God to speak to our hearts in two ways. May He reveal and convict us of the lies we are presenting to the world and often believing about ourselves. Also, may He fill us with his Holy Spirit and wisdom concerning the misconceptions we have formed about others due to the lies they are placing before us or gossip we have allowed to infiltrate our minds. How much healing could happen in the world if the truth would just be told.
We are loved by God, created for his purpose and precious in his sight. Do we live like we believe that?
The Songs
"Truth Be Told” Matthew West
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4wYkS8Z3Io
"Voice of Truth" Casting Crowns
